I sucked in a ragged breath, before nodding. I could use some pack energy right now, some strength to draw on. He slowly stepped to the side of the bed and his strong arms enveloped me as they had done so many times throughout my life. I collapsed into him, letting his energy soothe me, and despite the fact being touched wigged me out right now, touch also helped heal some of the hurt.
“Vlad has been taken care of, Jess,” he whispered into my hair. “He’ll never bother you again.”
Good. The only thing that would have made that better was if I’d been the one to kill him.
“At this stage they’ve temporarily halted the trial against you and Braxton. But you will have to be present at a future trial. Formality, really, Louis has been ‘disappearing’ the evidence but it needs to be officially dismissed with you there.”
Let’s hope Jonathon was right. One never knew what the Book of Guidance would decide.
“I have some news.” Louis was still slouched in the doorway, his broad shoulder nudged against the frame. “Something we need to deal with immediately. The Four are on their way to Stratford. Something set off their hunting instinct. They’re going to be looking for marked.”
“Shit,” I said, pulling away from my dad. “That was probably me. I think I broke the cage you had on me.”
Louis nodded. “Yes, you did, the energy sent a blastwave through Stratford, and obviously out into the universe. Most wouldn’t have known what it was, but I recognized the mark.” His eyes flashed. “I knew you were in trouble. I was coming to the prison when I intercepted the guard heading for Jonathon.”
Ah, that was how word got to my father so fast. Louis. I should have known.
“What?” This word from Maximus was slow, drawn out. There was a hint of anger but more of disbelief.
Jacob and Tyson also straightened and moved closer to me. “What are you saying, Jessa?” Jacob’s fey features were unreadable, but the green of his eyes shone in the half-light.
I sucked in deeply. I had forgotten they didn’t know of my mark. Only Braxton knew.
I held both hands in front of me. It was time to tell the truth. I should have trusted them with this secret long ago. My voice only slightly wavered as I started to speak.
“I owe you all the biggest apology. There’s something about me that you don’t know, something I only just recently found out myself.”
Braxton moved closer and I could tell that he wanted to jump in and smooth this over with his brothers. To protect me from their anger and pain. But this was my thing and I needed to alpha up and take the punishment.
“Mischa and I are twins and we are dragon marked,” I blurted. My sister straightened and crossed her arms over her chest. She was waiting for the fallout too.
Silence descended over the room, a heavy silence that was filled with angry thoughts and three thunderous expressions.
I hurried on: about how Louis had spelled us, and Lienda had fled to save our lives. That I’d only found out that morning in the forest, and how Jonathon thought it was best to keep it secret. The entire time I was babbling I continued to hope they would interrupt and give me a break from the guilt.
Maximus did finally speak, but it wasn’t what I thought he was going to say. “You told Braxton?” Hurt poured off him. “Why did you trust him but not the rest of us?” ‘Why not me?’ was his unspoken question.
Tears were burning my throat again. My wolf and dragon both wanted to howl.
Braxton interrupted him. “It wasn’t like that. We were in Vanguard and she needed me to know so I could protect her. Pull your heads from your asses and stop and think about the situation she was in. This is a topic so controversial our own father thought all dragon marked should be imprisoned or dead.”
I could see just the slightest relaxation in Jacob and Tyson’s rigid features. But Maximus shook his head and stormed from the room.
I pressed my hand to my chest, my body trembling slightly. Somehow, this moment felt worse than when I’d been held captive by Vlad. As If I was being stabbed repeatedly in the chest. Jacob and Tyson stepped right up to me.
Jacob’s voice was low. “It’s okay, Jessa babe. We understand. Just know there is nothing you could ever tell me that would change the love I have for you.”
“Ditto,” Tyson said as he kissed me on the cheek. “Max will come around, he just needs a few moments to think about it.”
I squeezed my eyes shut then and howled like a baby, hot gushes of tears. Arms encased me and I let free all the emotions that had been building for days. After a while I managed to pull myself together; the quads had moved back and I was standing next to my bed. I decided that now the secrets were out, it was time to ask a few questions.